On Tuesday you saw Mayor Bernard Wagner lament the City's inability to pay its mounting garbage collection bill - which stands at 1.2 million dollars and counting. That money is owed to Belize West Control, the city's sanitation contractor.
And while the Mayor seemed to throw up his hands in resignation, the councillor responsible for sanitation, Micah Goodin, appeared on Sun Up on 7 this morning to say that the only hope now is a G.O.B. bailout:
Micah Goodin - City Councillor
"I think the only thing that can really save us right now in the interim is a bailout from the government of Belize. I think in the absence of that there is absolutely nothing we can do because the finances are just not there. It's not like we have this large amount of money sitting in a bank account somewhere and we're just playing hardball. That's not the case. I think we really need a financial bailout but while we get that or while we wait for that we have to start considering new revenue streams. We are already starting the discussions about the garbage tax that is something we raised in the last thing in the council but again that is going to require some level of legislation, we have to look at the legislation, we have to do consultations and that sort of thing before we can even get there. So that's whats on the table for now."
Reporter
"And so why hasn't there been political will to put the garbage tax in Belize City?"
Micah Goodin "I think the previous Mayor Darrell Bradley he tried it but during the consultation I think the way they presented it residents rejected it. And I feel like they did not proceed with it because they feared people would have affected them in the elections, politicians exist to win elections and whenever you tax people, whenever you bring these charges people and the public they are a bit, they want you sideways, whenever you go into somebody pocket, that's not a good thing for a politician. I think we'll be met with a lot of resistance, especially because it is the time of Covid and the middle class has become poor and the poor people have become poorer and so we are going to be met with a lot of resistance because people really can't afford it. As it is, people are having a challenge to meet the property taxes and so how can we then go and pin on this garbage tax but it is something for us to consider, it is something for us to consult with them. I also believe that we have to look at the other strategies, the other alternatives, the head tax, the municipal lottery, these things will be able to improve our financial situation so I think the strategy going forward has to be all encompassing; it can't just be about garbage tax. We have to make all the opportunities available and explore them."
We're told that the Mayor will meet with the Financial Secretary tomorrow to try and see how Central Government can help to cover those arrears.
We note that while the council says garbage collection is down to 2 days a week - Belize Waste Control flatly rejects that. They say they are still picking up garbage four days a week - in limited circulation due to the city's non payment. They insist on this 4 day continuity as the central requirement of their contract - which means that come end of business on Friday - City Hall will owe them another 60 grand for what will be 21 weeks of unpaid garbage collection.
